Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Now I can finally tell what I've been doing lately... That is making four pieces for the Fashion Colorworks contest. Among all online beading contest I do appreciate it the most. Why?- There is a great competition from the Russian beaders who otherwise are shy to enter interenational contests.- Pieces are more wearable than the ones made for the Bead Dreams.- Organizers are very friendly and supporting.- Three international jurors are scoring the pool of entries.- Popular vote is allowed, but it is a separate nomination.

So, this year I made four pieces. Two in collaboration with Mona Baroody, a great lampwork artist from the U.S. (blog, Etsy store). Together we came up with an idea to make something phylosophically feminine -> life started in the ocean, than came to earth... water ... origin of life... meaning of life... ribbons of life... Yes, the collection is called Ribbons of Life. And there are four pieces in it, all called by names of ancient female deities: Gaia, Thetys, Demeter and Artemis. All four are made in totally different techniques, but united by the theme of ribbons and femininity (no, we do not do weeds; we just got the artistic sort of mind).

Well, three of the pieces did not make it to the final :((( But Gaia did (I know it deserves better pictures, but so far this is the only one I got).

Gaia was made almost from the scratch during the three-day FACETT beading convention in Stockholm. I was sitting in a huge room filled with female beaders, we all were sitting and creating something of our own. And talking.

I knew that I am making the piece for the Fashion Colorworks that should incorporate three colors: Russet, Coral Rose and Blue Curacao. I bought the focal on e-bay just for this piece, since that turquoise cab got all three colors in it.

And then I went to the bead shops that participated in the convention and picked up the beads that matched best to the stuff I was making at a particular moment.

And then, during the same convention I took a lampwork class from Tove Egholt and made an ugly orange bead. It is in that necklace too!As well as couple of Tove's, looking a bit more professionally ;)

So, there I am sitting and making my necklace. And looking around. What an amazing group of people it was! Only women. Many with chronical ilnesses, different sorts of cancers, broken bodies, bleeding souls, but SURVIVORS. Strong personalities that have transformed their problems into the creative energy. Gathered in the same room and making amazingly beautiful things. This necklace is inspired by them, beaders of FACETT'2011.

(Gaia in progress, FACETT'2011. Picture by Lina Bingmert)

Also, it got signatures of Carin Riese, Misan, Charina-Pitepärlan and Maria, who directed my hand when I could not decide where the next bead should go. Huge thanks to them for the company! And to Kerstin, KEO, Lena, Mina and Marja-Liisa, my bead-friends from Uppsala for their support.